Irrigation
- Raised as rainfed crop during summer and rainy season.
- Critical stages: flowering and pod development.
- 1-2 irrigation at critical stages.
- Water logging at critical stags causes yield reduction to the extent of 60-72%.
- Excess or stress at flowering and development results in reduction on pod number and seed weight.
- Irrigate at an interval of 15 days in summer and drought condition.
Weed Management
- Cause loss upto 25-50%.
- 1-2 hand weeding: 1st at 2-3 leaf stage and 2nd during intense vegetative growth.
- Herbicides: Nitrofen @ 1.0-1.5 kg a.i./ha, Fluchloralin @1-1.5 kg a.i./ha, Alachlor @2 kg a.i./ha as pre-emergence; Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i./ha as pre-plant.
Harvesting and threshing
- Ready to harvest when pods turn black or brown in color.
- Better to pick up matured pods once and subsequently whole plant with remaining pods.
- Harvest manually by picking pods or cutting near the ground (in early morning to avoid shattering) or using combine harvester.
- Sun dry harvested pods or plants with pods to reduce moisture content and thresh by beating with stick or trampling.
- Lower the seed moisture to 12% for safe storage.
- Store in airtight metallic bins and place in cool and dry places.
Yield
- 2-1.5 t/ha grain under well management.